First Team News

Character will see us bounce back, says Nedum

Nedum Onuoha

Nedum Onuoha has warned tomorrow's visitors Sunderland that they face a backlash from Mark Hughes' Champions League chasers after Wednesday night's 3-0 defeat at Tottenham.

The former England Under-21 skipper stepped into defence for injured Joleon Lescott and found himself at the heart of a setback that leaves the Blues six points off the vital fourth place.

But Nedum said today: "We won't let our heads drop after Wednesday. With the character and the winners that we've got in the team, I don't think we're going to lose a game and crumble.

"We have to make sure we do the little things that make a big difference. Tottenham is already behind us, we can't change that result - we just have to be positive for the games to come.

We're very disappointed about White Hart Lane and now we're thinking to ourselves that we need to show people what we can do, as opposed to what we have just done

"Even if we had won on Wednesday night, beating Sunderland would have been important. Maybe there's more emphasis on a win now. We need to remind ourselves just how good a team we can be."

Not that Nedum and his team-mates will be underestimating the team built by Hughes' former team-mate Steve Bruce, who trail City in the table by five points having played a game more.

Onuoha said: "Sunderland haven't been getting as many good results recently, so we have to make sure they know they are on our turf and are going to face a tough game.

"They've brought in a lot of good players and obviously have a good manager. The past few games they've not done as well as they'd have liked. Hopefully that will play in our favour, but they are still a good side."

And glancing at the current table, he added: "Tottenham was only our 16th game, there's a long way to go yet. We've lost two games all season and we're eighth. It's about hitting form at the right time."